Welcome to Story time, pull up a chair and join us. Would you like milk and sugar in your tea?

An Old Irish Blessing ... May the road rise up to meet you.May the wind always be at your back.May the sun shine warm upon your face,and rains fall soft upon your fields.And until we meet again,May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

"It is said some lives are linked across time. There are certain people connected by an ancient calling that echoes through the ages....destiny."

Life is a fleeting moment. Why live life in moderation and control when it lasts so short a time. Love until you drown in the happiness, laugh until the air you breath escapes you, cry until your tears are dry and live like the next second death will take your soul. Life is yours to live, and live it you must, not in the fear of what is to come next. That Next Place is waiting for you. It waits, in the hope that you will come fulfilled and ready, not in longing and regret.

Wishing you a wonderful new week..Like little birds, we only fly when we get shaken out of our nests; and develop the strongest wings only when we try them against the wind. The dove in a fable, was perturbed because the wind ruffled its feathers, but without that air it could neither soar nor live. In struggle, it is prudent to not wish away every opposition. It is better to meet and master our difficulties that faith can be made stronger through conflict.~Leroy Brownlow~With much love allways

Monday, August 31, 2009

1st September is the start of Spring, but Wattle Day sounds nice too, that when the little yellow round puffs appear on the wattle trees in New South Wales. It depends on what part of Australia you live, Queensland the flowers come out in August already, and down in Victoria, it's closer to October. But offically it's the start of Spring, 1 September. I went hunting for a poem about wattles but could only come up with this one by Amy Mack.

"Spring is here! Spring is here!And the skies are blue and clear.Winter with it's cold is past.And the summer's coming fast.

"Spring is here! Spring is here!Flowers are opening everywhere,New buds sprout upon the trees,Butterflies float in the breeze.

"Spring is here! Spring is here!Each bird calls unto his dear,Little mate, I love you best,Come with me and build a nest."

(Taken from Bushland Stories by Amy Eleanor Mack, written/published over 70 years ago. Amy Mack's stories were amongst the first to introduce children to the unique nature of the Australian Bush. With beautiful illustralions by Joyce Dennys)

Friday, August 28, 2009

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked greenpeas. I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.

'Hello Barry, how are you today?' 'H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good.' 'They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?' 'Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time.' 'Good. Anything I can help you with?' 'No, Sir. Jus' admirin' th em peas.' 'Would you like to take some home?' asked Mr. Miller.'No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.' 'Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?' 'All I got's my prize marble here.' 'Is that right? Let me see it' said Miller.'Here 'tis. She's a dandy.' 'I can see that. Hmm mmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?' the store owner asked. 'Not zackley but almost.' 'Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble'. Mr. Miller told the boy.'Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller.

' Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said, 'There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.

' I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado , but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles. Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could.

Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts...all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and Moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.

Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket. 'Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them.. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size....they came to pay their debt.' 'We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,' she confided, 'but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho ...'With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

TheMoral : We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.

Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles ~ A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself... An unexpected phone call from an old friend ....... Green stoplights on your way to work... The fastest line at the grocery store... A good sing-along song on the radio... Your keys found right where you left them.

IT'S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER, BUT WHAT YOU SCATTER THAT TELLS WHAT KIND OF LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED

Thanks To Ingrid from Twisted Sisters for this lovely story she found, and shared with us.Until next timeRina

Thursday, August 27, 2009

1. She was in the bathroom, putting on her makeup, under the watchful eyes of her young granddaughter, as she'd done many times before. After she applied her lipstick and started to leave, the little one said, "But Gramma, you forgot to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!" I will probably never put lipstick on again without thinking about kissing the toilet paper good-bye.......

2. My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He asked me how old I was, and I told him, 62. My grandson was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, "Did you start at 1?"

3. After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin. Finally, she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she heard the three-year-old say with a trembling voice, "Who was THAT?"

4. A grandmother was telling her little granddaughter what her own childhood was like: "We used to skate outside on a pond I had a swing made from a tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our pony. We picked wild raspberries in the woods." The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this all in. At last she said, "I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!"

5. My grandson was visiting one day when he said "Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?" I mentally polished my halo and I said, "No, how are we alike?'' "You're both old," he replied.

6. A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather's word processor. She told him she was writing a story. "What's it about?" he asked. "I don't know," she replied. "I can't read."

7. I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I decided to test her I would point out something and ask what color it was. She would tell me and was always correct. It was fun for me, so I continued. At last, she headed for the door, saying, "Grandma, I think you should try to figure out some of these, yourself!"

8. When my grandson Billy and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects. Still, a few fireflies followed us in. Noticing them before I did, Billy whispered, "It's no use Grandpa. Now the mosquitoes are coming after us with flashlights."

9. When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, "I'm not sure." "Look in your underwear, Grandpa," he advised, "mine says I'm 4 to 6."

10. A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother, "Grandma, guess what? We learned how to make babies today." The grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool. "That's interesting," she said, "how do you make babies?" "It's simple," replied the girl. "You just change 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'."

11. Children's Logic: "Give me a sentence about a public servant," said a teacher. The small boy wrote: "The fireman came down the ladder pregnant." The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. "Don't you know what pregnant means?" she asked. "Sure," said the young boy confidently. 'It means carrying a child."

12. A grandfather was delivering his grandchildren to their home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the fire truck was a Dalmatian dog.. The children started discussing the dog's duties. "They use him to keep crowds back," said one child. "No," said another. "He's just for good luck." A third child brought the argument to a close. "They use the dogs," she said firmly, "to find the fire hydrants."

13. A 6-year-old was asked where his grandma lived. "Oh," he said, "she lives at the airport, and when we want her, we just go get her. Then, when we're done having her visit, we take her back to the airport."

14. Grandpa is the smartest man on earth! He teaches me good things, but I don't get to see him enough to get as smart as him!

15. My Grandparents are funny, when they bend over; you hear gas leaks, and they blame their dog.

Thanks to Wilna and Her MIL for letting me share this with you.Until nexttimeRina

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Life is like a Patchwork Quilt. Made up of all sorts of leftover bits and pieces of material, adding a little shiny thread, a button or two, and finished off with a little bit of love. Then loved by all who feel and touch it.A little like our lives with new and old experiences, which we will draw from for the rest of our lives, remembering and loving.

Places we've been too and things we have done, and holidays we have shared with our loved ones. Some have a way of showing up quite unexpectantly. Since I been journalling (blogging) for and with my SA expat sisters which has been mostly in African. I decided to translate a few to share with others friends as well. So bear with me please as I will be posting the original one as well.Moving to a new country has been quite stressfull for many families, esp for us girls as the boys go off to work and make friends there, while many girls stay at home to be with the kids until they are settled in. My advice: Don't sit at home, get out there, pack a picnic basket and head for the local park to relax with your families. Make new memories and have a great day out.

Many of our weekends were spend walking through a park, letting the littlies play on the swings and feeding ducks. We usd to lie flat on our backs looking up at clouds , imagining all sorts of shapes of animals. Did you do that when your were little?

When I used to have spare time to read, that was a long time ago, one of the books I really enjoyed was Circles in the Forest (Kringe in die Bos) written by Dalene Matthee, which was then made into a film. It's about a family of woodcutters living in the Knysna Forest in South Africa in the good old days, having it tough just surviving. One of the sons rose out of the poverty but alienates his family ... later to return to protect the keepers of the forest ... The Elephants from being slaughtered for their tusks ... esp Big Foot.

Old age is a gift. I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometimes despair over my bones - the wrinkles, the baggy eyes and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother), but I don't agonise over those things for long.

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less grey hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself and less critical of myself. I have become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need but look so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon, before they undestood the great freedom that comes with aging. Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4am and sleep till noon?

I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60's and 70's and if I , at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ..... I will. I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body and will dive into the waves with abandon if I chooses to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They too will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But, there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things. Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what gives us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turn grey and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.So many have never laughed and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've earned the right to be wrong. I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting on what could have been or worrying about what will be.

And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it)!

I found this lovely piece, and borrowed it from Interface. Hope you enjoyed it.Until next timeRina

Monday, August 10, 2009

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Surrounded by all your friends and family, here to celebrate your 60th Birthday. You look Beautiful in your black lacy skirt and black top with a flower pinned. Your Hair just beautifully done and just a touch of make on your lovely face. What a picture, You don't look 60 more like 50 I'd say. Your husband John by your side looking as proud as punch, your daughter Rene making sure everybody is seated and happy. Your youngest carring in a beautiful fruit cake with white masipan, with verses of praise in pink. A 3 yr old granddaughter entertaining herself quitely waiting to cut the cake and sing Happy Birthday. Your radiate goodness, kindness and careing, those that love you know how true that is. A Christian Lady in stilling all that is good in your family ...... and it shows. With pray we open your celebrations tonight, Sarah singing and playing music, my she was wonderful.

A pray was offered before the meal by one of your friends. The meal was lovely serviced to your guests with dessert following, so much to choose from. Thank you so much.

Your Brother George did a wonderfull speech dedicated to you and gave you the biggest hug. Your sister Alma who came all the way from Namiba to be here with you, what a charming Lady she is, had us all in stitches telling stories from your family's past, growing up in South Africa. All with so much pride in her voice. What a loving and caring family you have.

To close the proceedings, we sang a hymne "Trust and Obey" and end with a prayer.

On the invitation you wrote:

"For Myself I would like no gfts, however, If you

would like to make a donation, this would be

greatly appreciated and donated

to Bear Cottage"

Your wonderful husband John built a beautiful little cottage with a slot for donations, in his workshop, painted the roof red. You exceeded your goal in donations for your cause and managed to collect more than $1200. Enjoy your visit to Bear Cottage. ...

Bear Cottage is a children's hospice established by the Hospital as a ... Bear Cottage is funded entirely by donations from the community ...Bear Cottage is the first children's hospice in NSW, a place where children and young people with terminal illnesses and their families can stay from time ...www.forpeaceofmind.com.au

Friday, August 7, 2009

True love is night jasmine, a diamond in darkness, the heartbeat no cardiologist has ever heard. It is the most common of miracles, fashioned of fleecy clouds -- a handful of stars tossed into the night sky.-Jim Bishop

Remember, the greatest gift is not found in a store nor under a tree, but in the hearts of true friends.-- Cindy Lew

A friend is one who knows us, but loves us anyway.-- Fr. Jerome Cummings

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do."Eleanor Roosevelt

"One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest."Maya Angelou

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. ~Confucius

Our slice of Heaven is a gentle sloping 3 acre block nestled between 2 national parks and the Maclay River flowing just to the left of the Villiage, Bellbrook.We have named it Lavender hill although there's no lavender growing there yet. 3 Jacaranda trees stand guard by the front gate,one day they will drop a carpet of purple flowers. Gaint mondo grass with purple berries and heaps of agapanthus amongst palms and tree ferns. A sprinkle of orange clivia flowers.

A hedge of Murrayas smells sweet of orange blossoms. Oneday the three ficus (Fig) trees will grow tall giving shade and food to many birds. A Vibrunum hedge (below) will one day be covered in tiny white flowers, in spring it will get a light trim taming it into a wide hedge.

Folks are real friendly and always willing to lend a hand, something you just don't find in the cities anymore. Pop 160.We're just a hours drive to the closest beach, so why not have the best of both worlds. We have a old pub, a doctor, a trading store, a school with 40 kids+- and a resident cop.A few cabin for hire, a favorite with canoeists and folk just wanting to enjoy the fresh mountain air. Life's good "Up Rivier"

At night you can see the milkyway clearly, a million stars light up the paddock fringed with large gum trees.A Tawny frogmouth owl visits in a tree close waiting for his meal. Not put off by the wood fire burning to keep us warm drinking a hot chocolate before turning in.Home away from home is a old caravan painted purple, just for the hell of it, ask folks they all know where the purple caravan is.

Maybe oneday there will be a stone cottage standing there, with a cottage green roof, matching the post and rail fence, a veggie garden able to feed us with organic veggies. A barnstyled chookhouse for my hens and a sheep shelter for when new lambs are born. Daisy the goat, will rule by then if given half a chance.

Retirement bring it on.

Until next time

Rina

From my Journal:

Just spend nearly 5 weeks at L/hill, weather getting cooler at night but the night sky is wonderful. You can see the milkyway while a tawny frog mouth is doing his thing, possums having a good scrap somewhere. With a few citronella torches and candles in lanterns burning, it looks very bohemian. Half expecting a Gypsy Romeo to come around the corner.

Got plans to build a outside bread/pizza oven to bake fresh bread , smothered with semi sundried tomatoes and olives ..... can't you smell it I'm looking forward to sitting under the grape covered pergola eating pizza (and drinking wine) by myself, just got to get the pergola and pizza oven .....

The kids joined us for the easter break which was just lovely. Cobi caught his first fish with his new little fishing rod, and watched a turtle swimming down by the bridge. The dogs swam circles with George in the river while aboriginal kids splashed around. what a live of country kids .....

Found 3/5 pairs of Aus wooded duck pairs nesting in the trees nearby. The old applebox tree seems to be their favorite tree. Found a pair of Tawny mothfrogs cuddled up on a branch next to a tree trunk catching the morning sun fast asleep.

Maggie the magpie has recovered from her sour leg and has taken up her place on the breakfast table again (we share cereal and anything else going) not sure how she will feel about the cats moving in one day ....

Discovered a spotted pardalote made it's nest in my mountain ofgarden soil I had trucked in. They normally use river banks to dig a long horizantal tunnel and then hollow out a breeding nest, then lined with nest with soft feathers. No it's not a snake hole we saw the birds flying in and out. incubation period 14 days. .....

Planted the vibrunum hedge got pretty white flowers, saw one when we visited Mother Earth nursery at Kenthurst, Sydney and decided I need one just like that. Set up the pond and waterfall with it's solar pump, just have to get a solar panel ........ soon

Thursday, August 6, 2009

It's been going on for years now, He's in my days, around when I am sad, we go on trips together ... sometimes I don't understand what he says, but that's no problem. His velvet voice fills my dreams and then we dance the nights away.

We first met about 35 years ago, we used to have lunch together everyday at that romantic coffee shop, with it's smouldering spanish interior, then we would rush off our separate ways again. Ah to be young again.

Many years later when the opportunity came up to visit his homeland, I grabbed it with both hands. To walk on the beaches of the Costa del Sol where he once left his footprints. Order Paella for 2 at a resturant, but it's a girlfriend I share with. To visit the Alhambra Palace on the Hill there in Seville, with it many water features and Morrish Beauty. Silvery droplets shining in the sun as they fall in a pond. He had just left......

Then we meet again .... the crowd were all there to see him, dressed in their finest, the air was thick with perfume, lights dimmed a little, while a couple danced the Tango. The velvet voice joined them, seranading us with songs like Crazy ... My Love ... Moonlight Lady ... Crazy in Love ... To All the Girls I've Loved Before ...and all those thing he whispered before. He had aged a little but nothing changed his velvet voice. Finally the music stopped and Julio Iglesias bid us Good Night.

Maar ons is mos 'n tuff klomp mense, ons gaan OZ ons huis maak, ons kinders veilig grootmaak, put on our happy faces even if we don't want to sometimes. What a mad house looking for a place to stay, car to buy, tax file numbers and visit to the Bank. I personally think it is the most stressfull time, but it's sort of different, your more relaxed. We come with expectations making house hunting difficult, and with the housing retail market as it is, it might be better to not look for your dreamhouse, but something cheaper and make do for the first year. Who gives anyway, as long as it clean. Not everyone comes with a huge bank balance and for the ones, us middle class people........ who are afraid they won't make it, no one will judge you if you drive a cheap car or don't have the fancy BBQ cooker with the outdoor kitchen thingy....ask for help if you want to, we will help if we can

The heavens have open and its raining cats and dogs and we thankful for that. But it does bring out all the idiot drivers out there speeding on slippery roads. Slow down in the wet. there were 3 accidents yesterday just in our area all small thank goodness, keeping the smash repair businesses in work Good thing we stayed at home this weekend, a 3 car pile up on the Princess Highway at Monney Monney Bridge, causing a 3hr delay.

But thats not what this is all about: Rain, Rugby league, soup and pancakes, cosy in front of the TV with the heater on. Makes me think of that saying Rugby Braais Sunshine & Chevrolets , not sure of the order. You got to have biltong, naartjies and for the men a little amber stuff sometimes. Now thats tradition is't it We all a nation of rugby fans mostly Union but in OZ they love League and thats what you see on TV.We got Foxtel for sport so we don't miss a game, the TV is taken over as soon as Dear Husband who is a ST George supporter, walks in the door taking control of the remote. Remotes are Man"s best friend thats after the dog of course which never gets walked anymore. If it's not Rugby, it wrestling, cowboy movies or car and bike rebuilds.

The seasons nearly over and then it Cricket and more cricket. We let them 'couse it their time to unwind after a hard day at work. Which is very true DH works 12hrs a day and I happily let him relax. But sometimes it gives you the shits if there is something you dying to watch, so I play on the computer instead or knit another scarve and some more bed socks. Talking about relaxing thats something he does well, normally 15 mins after dinner in that LasyBoy snoring his head off but don't change that channel then he wakes up insisting he was only listening with his eyes closed.

Something I have noticed lately is there are a few folks here making their own biltong, something we all need to learn because it's very expensive to buy for one, thats if you can find it. Sliced Beef Jerky in those little packets is just not the same. DH made me a lovely wooden meat drying cupboard with 3 sides having fly screen in which I hang our meat up. But it doesn't need to be fancy to taste good. Most butchers will cut up whole rump ($7.99 a kilo) for you into steaks all you need to do is cut it into strips, salt & spice, leave for 1 or 2 days to cure and hang up, put the fan on it 24/7 and in 3 days you got real biltong. Yummmy.

As you can tell we have a very exciting weekend at home. Only wish my water tanks were connected at the farm, with all this rain they would have been full. But we still have to pour the slab for them to stand on and connect to the guttering. Just not enough time to do everything. Hope you all had a lovely weekend.

Comments

Hi Rina,Thanks for your post, nice to see that the remote belongs to your hubby as well. I never touches the thing, it's always in DH's hand. We are getting foxtel next Monday, can you believe, DS is going to get it for us. How sweet of him. Now we can watch something else while recording the sport for hubby. Nice. Must say, I can't wait for Summer....long for the sun on my skin. This Winter was long and cold, don't you think?

Yes, the hoons are behaving like loonatics! Every Sunday morning you can see the damage they caused on the roads.....tyre marks and broken glass on the roadside. At night you can hear them making those donuts on the asphalt. Bad. And in the rain...they've got no nerves and I think it's not them paying for the maintenance of their vehicles but the parents.

I saw in a little German butchery this weekend all sorts of dried meat and sausages. Meat sticks and jerky and a VERY hot sausage with chillies. They've got a funny name for which I forgot now...will tell you when I remember. We've bought cheese kranzies, a sausage with cheese, very much like the cheese grillers we know. Was not as good though, but still not bad. Have a lovely week. .... Betsy

Hi Rina, Yep I agree, the RAIN is FANTASTIC!!! Heard it is raining even further in land past Toowoomba so it's in the catchement area as well.Rainy days are special cuddle days. We also make Biltong from Rump, got a new butcher in Cannon Hill shopping centre, he sells Rumps at $4.49 a kilo, what a bargain!! We bought 2 and cut it up and put it in hubby's biltong box he made and voila stacks of Billie for the family. Have to add that since my husband stopped smoking he's eating biltong like crazy.The slippery roads are a bit of a risk at the moment because we haven't had rain for so long. Drive carefully!!LoviesNilo --------------------

Hi Rina, I enjoyed your post! Our big "fight" is not over the Telly anymore, but who gets to sit in front of the computer first!! Vrek! Groete van huis tot huis. Tania

Hi All,I am just a bit concerned about the variation in meat prices over there. Rina's paying $7.99 and Nilo only $4.49/kg for rump. The traditional and nicest meat to use for biltong is silverside. Don't use meat from the front quarters, the biltong will be crumbly (don't know if that's the right word).Me and Mariana are both mad about our biltong and we are paying here R90/kg at the moment. Seems to me that I have to bring all my biltong spices with. Is coriander readily available in Oz? You have to use it.Lekker eet!!JJ

Hi JJI prefer to pay a little extra for a better quality, less fat on, fat is good but I don't want to cut off most of it ... and then still need to get rid off it in the garbage, gril my dood. As Nilo said prices can differ a lot, just don't buy it in ready cut steaks then they will charge you $17.99 +. I normally buy whole rump and cut it into squares for curries & stroganoff and a good feed of diced beef. Diced beef/lamb is normally $10.99We would love to have one of those blitong slices, just stick it in and it comes out in thin slices. Wonder if the garden shredder would work .......... maybe not.

~~To accomplish great things, you must not only act, but dream; not only plan, but believe~~

Welcome to story time

You're invited to pull up a comfy chair and make yourself at home. Get to know me and my friends. Some tales are true and taken from our own experiences. Some are just tales ....We invite you to leave a comment, it's great to know you enjoyed your visit.

About Me

Hi and welcome to my blog, I am Rina, Grandmother to 2 lovely boys, crafter, greenie, gardener. I dream about living on Our Slice of Heaven and living the good life. In the meantime I just write ... mostly about stuff going round in my head.
I have invited a few of my friends to join me blogging, welcome to them also. Thanks again for you imput ... love ya.

Cheeky Quotes

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... that you matter. People need you. People you love and even people you have never met are depending on you. You matter to God as well. No one else can be the person you were created to be. Do not think for a minute that you are not important; - the world needs you. God needs you.

#~* ~~~~~~~~~~~~*~#
A true friend never walks awayA true will always stayA true friend looks out for youA true friend will guard your secretsLike a precious giftA true friend is there for youTo give you a helpful liftA true friend tries to make you smileTries to replace that frownThey may not always succeedBut they rarely let you downThese arms for you are openThis heart for you does careAnd when I think you need meI'll try to always be thereI'll listen to your fearsI promise not to laughComfort your falling tearsI'll make this friendship lastI'll keep you near to my heartI'll always hold you dearEven when we're miles apartEven when you're hereI hope I am to youEverything you are to meFor the friendship we haveIs a special one indeed.

"There has never been, nor will there ever be, anything quite so special as the love between a mother and a son." Author: Unknown

A TRUE FRIEND IS SOMEONE WHO SEES THE PAIN IN YOUR EYES WHILE EVERYONE ELSE BELIEVES THE FAKE SMILE .

Did you know that those who appear to be really strong............really are the most sensistive?......Did you know that those who spend all their time protecting others.....sometimes really need someone to protect them?.........Did you know that three of the hardest things to say are: I love you, I'm sorry and help me.. ♥ Put it on your status if you agree xx

When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. Henri Nouwen

There comes a time in life when you walk away from all the pointless drama &people who create it, & surround yourself with people who make you laugh so hard that you forget the bad & focus on the good. Lifeis too short to be anything but happy.